Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Imaging-Guided Laparoscopic Surgery Could Achieve Radical D3 Dissection in Patients With Advanced Right-Sided Colon Cancer

Background: The optimal lymph node dissection with central vascular ligation is an important part for oncological outcomes after laparoscopic right-sided colon cancer surgery. Few studies have examined the clinical value of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging-guided D3 dissection for right-sided colon cancer. Objectives: We assessed the clinical value of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging-guided laparoscopic surgery in improving the radicality of lymph node dissection for right-sided colon cancer by comparing the outcomes of conventional laparoscopic surgery. Design: The data were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. SETTING: This study was conducted at a single university hospital. Patients: A 1:2 matched case-control study included 25 patients undergoing fluorescence imaging-guided laparoscopic surgery and 50 patients undergoing conventional laparoscopic surgery for clinical T3 or T4 right-sided colon cancer between June 2016 and December 2017. Main Outcome Measures: The extent of D3 dissection and pathological results (tumor stage, lymph node yield, and number of metastatic lymph nodes) were analyzed. Results: The 2 groups were similar in baseline characteristics. The numbers of harvested pericolic and intermediate lymph nodes were not different between the 2 groups. The numbers of central lymph nodes (14 vs 7, p < 0.001) and total harvested lymph nodes (39 vs 30, p = 0.003) were significantly higher in the fluorescence group than in the conventional group. In the multivariate analysis, the use of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging was an independently related factor for the retrieval of higher numbers of overall and central lymph nodes. The number of metastatic lymph nodes was not significantly different between the 2 groups. Limitations: The results of this study were limited by its small patient numbers and retrospective nature. Conclusions: Real-time indocyanine green fluorescence imaging of lymph nodes may improve the performance of more radical D3 lymph node dissection during laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for advanced right-sided colon cancer.